What is a Warrant Officer
The Army Warrant Officer is a self–aware and adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer, and advisor. Through progressive levels of expertise in assignments, training, and education, the Warrant Officer administers, manages, maintains, operates, and integrates Army systems and equipment across the full spectrum of Army operations. Warrant Officers are innovative integrators of emerging technologies, dynamic teachers, confident warfighters, and developers of specialized teams of soldiers. They support a wide range of Army missions throughout their career. Warrant officers in the Army are accessed with specific levels of technical ability. They refine their technical expertise and develop their leadership and management skills through tiered progressive assignment and education.
Warrant Officer History
The military grade of warrant officer dates back two centuries prior to Columbus, during the fledgling years of the British Navy. For the US Army, the lineage of the warrant officer can be traced back to 1896, specifically to the Headquarters Clerk (later designated the Army Field Clerk). The official birthday of the Army Warrant Officer Corps is 7 July 1918. During this time warrant officers were not commissioned officers; but in reality were considered civilians. The Judge Advocate General later determined that warrant officers held military status. An act of congress in 1918 established the Army Mine Planter Service as part of the coastal artillery. This is also when the official color of the Army Warrant Officer Corps color came to be brown. The color emanated from the brown stands from burlap bags that the Mine Planter Service personnel wore as their insignia of rank. In 2005, the Department of the Army developed a new definition to encompass all warrant officer specialties and grades."The Army WO is a self–aware and adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer, and advisor. Through progressive levels of expertise in assignments, training, and education, the WO administers, manages, maintains, operates, and integrates Army systems and equipment across the full spectrum of Army operations. Warrant Officers are innovative integrators of emerging technologies, dynamic teachers, confident warfighters, and developers of specialized teams of soldiers. They support a wide range of Army missions throughout their career. Warrant officers in the Army are accessed with specific levels of technical ability. They refine their technical expertise and develop their leadership and management skills through tiered progressive assignment and education." (Para 3-5, DA Pamphlet 600-3, Dec 2005)
PRC History
•Beginning
−The chapter began when 40 warrant officers met at the Fort Irwin Leaders Club to discuss starting a chapter. CW4 (Ret) Ted Walker from the National Training Centers' Operations Group, led the committee to form the chapter and became the first PRC President. The chapter received it’s official charter from the United States Warrant Officer Association on February 1, 1999.
•Contribution
−The chapter conducted numerous charitable functions in addition to professional development classes for Warrant Officers. The chapter supported the Fort Irwin Teen Center and the Red Cross with much-needed cash donations and participated in AUSA functions. The PRC was recognized by the USAWOA and received awards for
− Best Chapter Retention Award
− Overall Best Chapter for Recruiting and Retention
•Evolution
−The chapter was affected by regular movements of personnel as well as the increased OPTEMPO of the Army. Membership began to decline until the chapter became practically inactive. CW5 (Ret) John Lund, the previous chapter president, had moved from Fort Irwin. He flew back to Fort Irwin in April 2006 to have a final meeting and, in a chance encounter with CW3 Tim McCarter, passed on the chapter materials. Chief McCarter took the charge and began contacting other Warrants to restore the Painted Rock to it former state. The PRC is growing and the excitement of contributing to the Fort Irwin community is evident.
The chapter meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. on post at the Dining Facility on B Ave, Fort Irwin, CA. The current president, CW3 Santos, invites all warrants, active duty and retired, to come and contribute to the success of the local chapter.
−The chapter began when 40 warrant officers met at the Fort Irwin Leaders Club to discuss starting a chapter. CW4 (Ret) Ted Walker from the National Training Centers' Operations Group, led the committee to form the chapter and became the first PRC President. The chapter received it’s official charter from the United States Warrant Officer Association on February 1, 1999.
•Contribution
−The chapter conducted numerous charitable functions in addition to professional development classes for Warrant Officers. The chapter supported the Fort Irwin Teen Center and the Red Cross with much-needed cash donations and participated in AUSA functions. The PRC was recognized by the USAWOA and received awards for
− Best Chapter Retention Award
− Overall Best Chapter for Recruiting and Retention
•Evolution
−The chapter was affected by regular movements of personnel as well as the increased OPTEMPO of the Army. Membership began to decline until the chapter became practically inactive. CW5 (Ret) John Lund, the previous chapter president, had moved from Fort Irwin. He flew back to Fort Irwin in April 2006 to have a final meeting and, in a chance encounter with CW3 Tim McCarter, passed on the chapter materials. Chief McCarter took the charge and began contacting other Warrants to restore the Painted Rock to it former state. The PRC is growing and the excitement of contributing to the Fort Irwin community is evident.
The chapter meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. on post at the Dining Facility on B Ave, Fort Irwin, CA. The current president, CW3 Santos, invites all warrants, active duty and retired, to come and contribute to the success of the local chapter.